Life Unexpected
by tvaddictlyfe
Summary: Alyssa Vause was named during the federal investigation of an international multi-continent drug smuggling case. Despite her troubled past how is barely 18-year old Ally to make it at Litchfield Penitentiary, even with the help of her big sister and how will they both react to Alex's old flame joining them?
1. Chapter 1

OITNB

Disclaimer I do not own the show nor any of its characters.

**Hey guys so this is my first OITNB fanfic, so the first chapter really focuses on Ally, but it will also be told from Alex and Piper's point of view and their will be smut (Vauseman obv's) so yeah I really hope you like it and please review or PM me thoughts, opinions and idea's and this is my first fanfic with smut so No H8**

* * *

Here it was. The moment my life would change forever.

The federal judge, an older woman with gray hair piled in a high bun, put on her metal rimmed glasses with a beaded eyeglass croakie that made her look like a bad 50's librarian spinster, and looked over my file one last time, probably wanted to be absa-fucking-lutely positive of my guilt before my sentencing. I glanced at the metal staple on the podium that said Judge Marrows. She already seemed like a prude, with no idea about how the real world works.

"Will the defendant please rise?" She said lazily.

I shuffled up along with my lawyer. I had been in juvie 3 months already awaiting my sentencing, I was just ready to start it and get it the hell over with.

"I'm giving you the option." The judge said, as she looked me directly in the eye. "21 months in Juvenile Detention or 9 months in Women's Federal Prison."

The judge stares at me intently. Impatiently awaiting my response. I lean over to my lawyer "Which women's prison".

Marrows leans closer, over the podium, "Counselor? I don't have all day" she snipes as she takes off her glasses.

My lawyer clears his throat, "Your honor my defendant would like to know which women's prison she would be detained at?"

"Pft" Marrows puts her glasses back on and looks over the papers, "it looks like Litchfield Penitentiary currently has an opening"

My heart leaps, my bonehead lawyer opens his mouth to say something, but before he can I blurt out, "I want to go Litchfield. I choose the 9 months." No way I'd pass up an opportunity to be with my sister.

My lawyer stares at me with his jaw dropped, maybe he wanted me to go back to juvie but fuck him. "You're certain?" Marrows asks.

"Positive" I reply.

Marrows nods, "Very well. At the end of your stay as long as you don't have any serious infractions you'll finish in 9 months and have 3 years of felony probation. And I reviewed your case, you were very young when the drug trafficking occurred with no prior record." I nodded, not sure where this was going, "So I have decided at the end of your 3 years as long as you follow your probation and pending an official review, your record will be expunged when you turn 21."

For the first time in months I smiled, genuinely, and felt as if the gates of hell had stopped trying to pull me down under. My record would be expunged! I can get a job; go to college, whatever the fuck I want to do.

"Thank you your honor," I said giddily.

I noticed a slight corner upturn of her mouth but other than that she didn't relish along with me about my light sentence. "Very well, Alyssa Vause, you're sentenced to 9 months at Litchfield Penitentiary. Please take the defendant away."

* * *

I had my hands grasped tightly around the half empty coffee cup. My lawyer bought it for me during our last post trial meeting, just minute details about my release and working possibly on an appeal. Then the officers came. He took my coffee and handcuffed me. I figured he was going to just chuck it like the asshole most police officers are. But to my surprise he held onto it and handed it back to me after I got into the back of the police cruiser. Now my thumb absentmindedly picked at the slipcover as I gazed out the window.

"So this your first stint." The cop asked. Oh great a talker, although he seemed nice enough. Late 30s, probably had a wife and kid at home, hadn't been on the department long enough to be totally fazed by the job.

"Yes." I said coyly before I took a sip, the sweet latte warming my insides. Jesus it had been so damn long since I'd had a decent cup of coffee.

He rubbed his cheek and I could hear his fingertips grazing his unshaven stubble, "Eh don't worry about it. Litchfield's minimum security, you can still get your life back on track after this." Doubtful. "How much time do you have?"

"9 months, with good behavior." I replied bored.

"Ohhhh, okay." He said nodding like he understood my life, what I went through. _Hell_ what I was going through. He was probably one of those WASPy Connecticut kids who moved to the big city to chase criminals down alleys and hop fences for robbers. Well joke was on him because now here he was stuck transporting my ass all the way from the courthouse to Litchfield. And I wasn't a runner, so it was sure to be a boring ride, definitely not what he signed up for as a police officer in the big apple.

"So what'd you get busted for?" He finally asked. I figured he had probably wanted too the whole time but didn't have the balls to ask.

"International drug smuggling." I stated with an edge in my voice.

He slowed the car a little and turned back to look at me, his jaw dropped. He turned back around and let out a low whistle. I smirked; that was the response I liked getting when people found out my crime. "How'd a nice girl like you get involved in something like that? You can't be that old, 18…19?"

"I just turned 18." I mumbled, my birthday was last week, not that anybody noticed or even cared. I don't know why but whenever anybody asked I made it seem like I was the one with the drug connections. Like I actually did the hard work, rather than live a life of luxury because of Alex and offer to pick up imports from the airport whenever one of her deliverer's fell through. "I was just helping out my sister." I finally answered.

"Hm." He pondered.

I narrowed my eyes, "What?"

He shrugged, "Just seems like helpin' out your sister got you in trouble. A sister is supposed to look out for you."

I stared out the window, he couldn't be more wrong.

* * *

**4 Months Earlier**

I woke up that morning and stood up, looking out over central park. Alex may have been pretty absent lately but she paid the bills and she paid for our amazing 30th floor penthouse in New York City. _Alex_. I hadn't seen her in almost 3 weeks. Hadn't heard from her in 4 days. She was collecting a shipment from Berlin.

Alex had been having a little rough patch. Well a big rough patch. About 6 months ago we were grabbing a coffee. This organic chic little place near Brooklyn Ave called the Urth Café before we were about to head out shopping. The place was always jam-packed and as we got in the back of the line I saw Alex perk up as she stared intently at the blonde woman in the front of the line. "Oh excuse me," The woman said pretentiously, "I asked for cinnamon soy milk in my latte this is whole milk." The barista stared at her then looked at the line and back to the woman, "Look miss we're slammed, I don't have the extra time to remake your order." Since the line was so long we had wrapped around and now had a side view of the woman. She smiled looking pissed as hell, "Well you wouldn't have to remake it if you did it right the first time." She put the latte back onto the counter and slid it towards the barista.

I knew this blond woman from somewhere but I couldn't quite remember where, but she was so damn familiar. I looked up at Alex and she definitely knew her. I strained my neck to see around people, maybe if I could just see her face.

The woman stood there tapping her foot as the barista regrettably remade her order. "Thanks." The woman said sweetly. As she turned around she stopped when she saw us. Or saw Alex, specifically. Holy shit, I thought. The woman hurriedly rushed passed us, brushing my shoulder and nearly dropping her latte. I turned around and saw her hang a right and run down into the subway.

I turned back to Alex and I could see her face was distorter in pain, "Was that…?"

"Piper." She said bluntly. Her eyes still staring at the subway entrance Piper had disappeared into.

"Are you okay Al?" I asked.

She cleared her throat, "I'm fine." She threw her arm over my shoulder, "Just excited to spend the day with my favorite sister."

"Pft, you're only sister." I answered. I decided to let it go but I could see Alex's eyes were brimmed red, but that cleared almost as soon as it set in. We spent the rest of the day shopping and went out to lunch but Alex cut it short saying she felt sick and hailed us a cab home.

She started using again maybe a month after that and had been on and off ever since. I barely saw her over the next 6 months. Nina stayed with me full time. After our mom died when I was 10 I'd moved in full time with Alex. But Alex's…work, wasn't exactly suitable for a raising a middle school student. So I dropped out and enrolled in online school and traveled all over the world with Alex. They were some of the best years of my life; I'd seen amazing things and been at places that were so breath-taking they couldn't be described. I was content. But the summer before I was supposed to start 9th grade, Alex decided I needed to make friends and attempt a normal life. So she moved us to the big apple and enrolled me at Staten Island Academy, a prestigious private school on Staten Island about 40 minutes away. And she hired Nina, a full time nanny / maid who cooked, cleaned, and kept me out of trouble when Alex had to leave for work.

When Alex first embarked on her…bender at the beginning of the 6 months I had just started the second semester of my senior year at Staten Prep. At first I didn't know about the drugs, that she was using them at least, I'd known she was smuggling for years, all I knew was that she wasn't here and had Nina move in full time. But a couple of times Alex stumbled in at all hours of the night high out of her mind, so I figured it out pretty quickly, but every time, by morning she was a different person promising me it wouldn't happen again. That was when I had helped her out. When she was too strung out to even move, let alone go anywhere to pick up a shipment. She told me where the shipment was and I went and picked it up.

Needless to say it had been a rough couple of months but I'd cut Alex slack. Hell I owed her everything. I worshipped the ground she walked on.

That day I snapped out of my reminiscing, pulled on my leggings and put in my headphones as I shuffled downstairs wondering if I would finally hear back from my sister today. Alex was tough and she could take care of herself, but it didn't stop me from worrying.

As I rounded the corner into our kitchen my favorite Britney song came on. I had to listen to pop music before I went on a run, it amped me up. I danced into the kitchen singing and pulled open the fridge door, _"Uh, uh all eye's on me in the center of the ring just like a circus."_ I grabbed a yogurt, "_Crack that whip, everybody's gonna trip just like a circus"_ I kicked the fridge closed with my foot and turned around.

I nearly screamed as my heart leapt out of my chest and I dropped my yogurt on the ground where it splattered into a mush soaking our tile floor. I ripped my headphones out. There was Alex sitting at the table intently watching me, holding a mug of coffee. Alex laughed as I bent down to pick up the carton, "Holy crap Alex, you scared the shit out of me."

Alex stood up and set her mug down and leaned forward on the island counter between us. "Sorry kid I wanted to surprise you." She smiled. I wasn't going to let her off that easy.

"You could have called." I grumbled. She bit her lower lip and continued to stare at me, Alex was perceptive and she could read people, she knew I was pissed.

"You're right Ally, I'm sorry." She smiled, "I promise now that I'm back things are going to be different, I-"

"You'll what Alex?" I said. "You'll stop working and maybe actually attend a parent-teacher meeting, or a music recital, or at the very least you'll stop showing up in the middle of the night, when nobody's expecting you, lit out of your mind."

That got her attention, she looked down at the counter, "You know Ally I'm trying my best."

"Bullshit Alex!" I threw back disbelievingly, "Ever since we ran into Piper a couple months back, its like your not even here. You're always gone and when you're here your high out of your mind or skulking around the house. You need to get your shit together Alex." I snapped.

Alex stared at me, no doubt choosing her next choice of words carefully but then to my surprise she laughed. Soon she was doubled over laughing and I couldn't help but laugh right along with her. Alex came around the counter wiping away a couple of laughter tears and placed her hand on my shoulder as I swallowed down a few giggles. "Okay kid, as you so delicately put it, I'll get my shit together, _if_ you stop acting like my big sister. Geez I'm starting to forget who the adult here is."

I rolled my eyes, "Puh-lease, you're the adult? You'd survive solely on frozen yogurt and pizza rolls if Nina didn't cook for you."

Alex shook her head then eyed the gloppy mess on the floor, "Speaking of which where is Nina? I want her to come clean this."

"It's Sunday remember? She has Sunday's off to go visit her son upstate." I replied

Alex nodded, "oh yeah, damn."

"Awh poor little Alex has to clean up a spill." I teased.

Alex glared at me, "Shut up Ally, its not like you ever do any chores." I leaned over the counter and grabbed some paper towels, "Hey kid, you know I really am sorry about what happened."

I nodded, "I know." I knew she was, but it still pissed me off.

"What if, to make it up to you. We take a little trip to Paris. You and me. No work. Just a small one, and you can practice all your French from that expensive school I'm paying out the ass for." Alex offered.

My face lit up, "Really! When can we go?"

Alex shrugged, "There's no time like the present."

I pointed at her, "Did I…mention how much I love you today?"

Alex shook her head, "Must have slipped your mind."

"Well I do, love you a lot. You're my favorite sister. You're the best one in New York, exnay the whole planet." I was busy sucking up as the doorbell rang.

Alex laughed, "Shut up and go get the door Ally, I'll clean this up."

I skipped into the front room my mind filling with thoughts of Paris, very intent on telling whoever it was that was interrupting my Sunday just where they could stick whatever issue they needed handled now.

As I pulled open the door I was met face to face with not one but _five_ police officers. "Uh can I help you?" I asked.

"Search the premise." The one in front said as they pushed past me and inside.

I turned back, "ALEX," I yelled. "Hey what the hell do you think you're doing?"

The main one, whom I gathered was in charge held up a piece of paper, "We have a warrant, multiple actually."

"Hey? What the hell is going on here?" Alex said as she approached and saw the guys destroying our home.

The main one pointed at my sister, "Alex Vause?"

"Yes, what's this about?" She said as she crossed her arms.

He nodded towards the other one who took out a pair of handcuffs, "We have a warrant for your arrest." The second officer pulled Alex's hands behind her back.

I lunged forward, "Hey, hey what do you think your doing? You can't take her away she's my sister."

Alex nodded, "Ally it's okay, go call my lawyer."

I moved to leave and the main one stuck his arm out, impeding my movement. "Wait you're her sister? Alyssa Vause?" I nodded and he gestured to a third guard, "We have a warrant for your arrest too."

The guard came up behind me and pulled my hands behind my back, "Wait what?" I said dazed.

"Wait! Ally- she, she didn't do anything!" Alex said frantically.

"Save it for trial sweet cheeks." The main cop said as he marched me out into the hallways with Alex close behind us, held by another guard.

"Ally, don't say anything! Don't talk to anyone. If they try to ask you any questions, ask for a lawyer, call Nina with your phone call tell her what's going on and I'll call the lawyer, he'll take care of it." Alex called out as the cops marched us outside. I looked around and all of our neighbors and people from the surrounding buildings had gathered. This whole thing felt surreal.

The cop ducked my head into the car and I turned to look out the window. "Ally it's okay" Alex called. "I'll come get you okay, don't worry." She never did.

* * *

**Present**

"Hey, we're here." The cop said.

My attention snapped back and I looked back towards the front. The brick building looked menacing and the barbed wire fences sent ice running through my veins. _This_ was most definitely not juvie. Juvie just about looked like Disneyland compared to this place. I gulped as a CO opened the car door. A creepy CO he was tall and lanky and had a pedo-stache. I dropped my cup as he pulled me out, a little too aggressively. "Come on newbie." He walked me towards a smaller building away from the main prison.

"Hey Wanda, I have a newbie here." The guy said to a middle-aged woman CO whose face was scrunched up and looked like she could use a good fucking.

"What else is new." She said through the window as she unlocked the door. Her pinched uptight look and surly disposition kind of reminded me of a dog. A fucking ugly dog. I decide to call her Cerberus. It's quite fitting actually since the real Cerberus the hellhound guards the entrance to the underworld and keeps the dead from leaving. This Cerberus guards the prison entrance, which keeps me in, but I feel dead inside anyway.

"Thanks." I said to the male CO. He nods and looks me up and down, licking his lips. I shudder. Fucking pervert. The next 45 minutes were the worst of my life and consisted of a _very_ thorough strip search which consisted of me changing into the most hideously colored orange scrubs that said D.O.C. printed on the back, a very thorough strip search, and a _rectal_ search where I had to spread my ass cheeks and cough, the whole ordeal was pretty degrading. After that visit to the ice cream parlor, Cerberus gives me two gray thermals one of which I put on and a pair of toms. Along with that they gave me a mesh bag with a pillow, a sheet and two blankets.

"Okay let's go." Cerberus prompts.

"Oh, I don't have a toothbrush yet." I informed her.

She laughed before she realized I wasn't joking. "You're commissary will come in soon then you can buy a toothbrush."

My jaw dropped, "I don't even get a toothbrush here?"

"You're not in juvie anymore. Now let's move it kid." She said harshly. The last word she said shut me right up. It had been so long since anyone called me kid. And even longer since my own sister called me kid. I prayed to God Alex was here. We hadn't talked in months. I had only seen her for a brief minute when she testified at my trial 3 months ago and I had testified at her trial a month prior. Other than that we didn't get the chance to tell each other where we were. As needed-a-good-fucking CO Cerberus walks me outside towards a prison van I clutch my mesh bag and gulp as I look down the hill at the prison. If Alex wasn't here, I was fucked because I was in way over my head. I barely survived in juvie.

CO slid open the van door and I crawled inside. The woman in front of the drivers seat, whom I was shocked to see was a prisoner, was a bouncy, bubbly middle 20s woman who looked way to dressed up and innocent to be in prison with her bright red lipstick and Shirley temple curls. "Hey doll face," she held out her hand, "I'm Morello, Lorna Morello." She said with a thick italiano-jersey accent and a perky smile.

I glanced at her outstretched hand and turned my attention back to the prison. "Not much of a talker are ya?" Morello said. To be honest it's not like I was even trying to be rude, I was just in shock and currently regretting my decision to come to a federal women's prison.

"Come on Morello just keep driving no one wants to hear your yapping." Cerberus snaps. I guess somebody forgot to feed her on time this morning. As the van pulls to a stop I'm surprised to feel a tear fall out and trickle down my face. As Cerberus gets out she stops to talk to one of the other CO's.

"Well we're here." Morello says, "You know I could never understand why-" She turned around and see's me crying. "Oh sweetie I'm sorry. The first night is always the worst. It gets better. I promise."

I laugh and wipe away the last of the tears, "Thanks, I'm Ally."

Lorna smiles and places a hand on my knee, "Hey we gots ta watch out for each other in here. Us white girls stick together. Don't worry, we'll take care of you."

Cerberus slides the Van door open. "Vause let's move. If you hurry you might actually be able to make it to dinner."

"Wait your last name is Vause?" Morello asks, "Oh, how funny there's another Vause in here too."

My jaw drops, "Alex? Is it Alex Vause?"

Morello stares at me, "Yeah, how did you know that?"

My eyes roll back as my lids flutter close. I run my tongue over my teeth. "Yeah, yeah Alex is her sister. It's a Vause family reunion." Cerberus says impatiently. "Now come on _move_." She shouts.

I get out of the Van and Cerberus uncuffs me. Despite everything, I smile. Maybe I would survive in here after all.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Okay Vause head over to processing and I'll meet you after to take you to your room." Morello said. I nodded and looked around not exactly sure where "processing" was. Morello smiled sympathetically at me, "Look kid you'll get used to the routine, processin's over there." She pointed down the hall.

I mumbled a 'thanks' and cautiously walked down the hallway, holding onto my mesh laundry bag for dear life. I couldn't risk bumping into someone and getting the crap kicked out of me. And I was already getting some pretty weird looks. I probably looked like some uptight trust fund kid up in here. My blonde hair and blue eyes stuck out like a sore thumb, and not in a good way. Before I came in here I used to love the looks I got from, just about everyone, but I was starting to realize that in here the less attention you get, the better.

It's funny though, because when I was born with blonde hair and blue eyes my dad bailed because he thought my mom had been cheating on him since they both had dark hair. Maybe she was who knows, but it's pretty fucked up to leave your wife, stepdaughter and newborn baby on a hunch. But then again none of my mom's suitors were exactly nice men.

I knocked on the door that said Processing and pedo-stache answered. He sucked in his gut and looked me up and down, "Well, well, well, look at what the cat dragged in." He grabbed my bag on threw it on the ground and opened the door wider. I stared at him unsure of what to do. "Let's move!" He barked, "I don't have all day."

He grabbed me by my collar line and practically slammed me into the splotch of wall designated for pictures, then shut the door. I tried to even out my heart rate. I didn't like being alone with this twisted fuck. He grabbed a clipboard, "Alright… _oh"_ He smirked, "Vause huh? We have another Vause here. You know her?" I looked down at my feet, "Speak up Newbie." He commanded.

"It's my sister," I mumbled.

"You don't look alike." He stated. Really? Thanks fucking captain obvious. Although we had the same facial structure and deep blue eyes, courtesy of our Mom, Alex was taller than me and had black hair and pale skin, while mine was beach blonde and my skin always looked sunkissed, but our faces were very similar.

"Heh heh" He chuckled, "Oh now there's 2 Vause's. A big and a little." He stalked towards me and leaned in close to my face, "Isn't that _fucking_ dandy." He said loudly and I jumped about a half foot in the air.

He walked back around by the computer, than clicked the mouse. "Okay your done."

I stared at him blankly, "Wait but I wasn't ready."

"You're done." He yelled. I shook my head irritated and bent down to grab my bag that was still on the floor. When I turned and stood back up I looked around and I could see he was standing there licking his lips, intently staring at my ass, probably mentally trying to undress me. Sick fuck. I grabbed my bag and all but ran out of there and practically trampled Morello, knocking her to the ground.

"Whoa kid where you headed off to?" Morello asked.

"Oh fuck I'm sorry." I said as I grabbed her hand and helped her up.

She brushed herself off and picked her clipboard back up, "It's alright, no harm done. Now come on I'll take you to your room."

I followed Morello to a room with 6 bunks that reminded me of one of the submarine rooms from 20,000 Leagues. "This is where I'm staying?" I clarified.

Morello laughed, "Only temporarily, just until you get assigned. Everybody's out at dinner but you only got about 5 minutes so ya might as well just stay here." The bagel I had eaten that morning that felt like a lifetime ago grumbled in my stomach and I went and put my bag down on the only available bunk.

"Oh hey guys." I look up to see Morello addressing some people walking into the room who I guess are my new roommates. "Guys this is the newbie."

One of the women, a young one mid 20s with a wild orange mane gives me a half crooked smile, "Another blondie huh?" She walks forward and holds out her hand, "I don't do any of that last name only bullshit I'm Nicky." Three women push past us and sit down on their bunks.

I shake her hand and am immediately drawn to her open and warm personality. "I'm Ally, Alyssa but everyone calls me Ally."

She smiles, "Alright Ally. This is DeMarco and Miss Rosa," She point to the two older women, one of whom is bald and I think has cancer. Nicky points to the younger Hispanic woman who's sitting under on the bunk below mine, "That's Gloria."

"You a restless sleeper?" Gloria says as she eyes me.

"No ma'm." I reply.

The other women chuckle, and Gloria glares at me, "Psh call me ma'm, do I look like your fucking grandmother?"

I shake my head forcefully, "No ma'm, I mean uh Gloria."

"Come on Gloria leave her alone" Nicky says. "So kid, what are you in for?"

I look down at my hands. Surely my BS drug smuggling charge wouldn't impress anybody here, hell there were people here for murder. "Drugs." I finally answered.

Nicky eyes me, "Huh, you don't look like a user to me."

"It- uh, it was smuggling. Not using." I clarify.

Nicky opens her mouth to say something when Morello interrupts, "Nicky cool it. Ally why don't you go to the bathroom and wash up, then come back here it's going to be lights out soon."

I nod and excuse myself to the restroom, careful to keep my eyes on the floor and not look directly at anyone. As I walk in its fairly empty except for an extremely tall black woman? Who looks like maybe she used to be a man, and somebody angrily yelling in the only stall with a door. I sigh and go over to the mirror. I look like shit. I have bags under my eyes that were so big they could hold groceries, and my skin looked oily and felt dry which I didn't even know was possible.

"Owwie!" The black man/ woman grabs my hair and I jump, "Is this natural or do you highlight it?" She runs her fingers through it.

"Natural." I croak out.

"Well it's gorgeous." She drops her gaze down and abruptly lets go of my hair but grabs my hand, "But these Nails" She gives me a scolding look, "Baby you come see me and I can do these nails for you." Internally I chuckle because I'd had a bad habit of biting my nails down to nubs since birth. Alex always chastised me for it.

I nod and continue to look at my reflection in the mirror. I barely recognized myself.

"Are you waiting for the bathroom baby?" The man/ woman asks me. I nod. "You might as well just go or you're going to be waiting here all night. You get used to not having a door." Apparently I'd get used to never having a goddamn minute to myself either. "I'm Sophia. Sophia Burset." He/ she introduces themself.

"I'm Ally." I smile, no point in being a bitch when I might have a chance at making friends, or at least not getting my ass beat everyday. I turn around and lean up against the counter waiting for the woman to come out of the only stall with a door.

I'd been standing there for almost 20 minutes, Sophia was long gone by that point when who should walk in but fucking Piper Chapman. She immediately recognizes me and I stand there shocked. "Ally?" She almost whispers.

"Piper!" Piper runs over and embraces me, my chin resting on her shoulder.

She pulls back, "What are you doing here?"

I grimace, "I'm guessing I'm here for the same reason that you're here for?"

Piper's jaw drops, "No. Alex, she- she didn't. Ally-"

"No it's not like that." I say defensively, "I offered."

She shakes her head, "No but I don't understand. You're just a kid, shouldn't- shouldn't you at least be in juvie?"

"I'm 18 Pipes," I informed her, and I instantly see the remorse in her eyes.

"Oh my god. You're birthday. It was last week wasn't it?" I nod. "Jesus Ally I'm so sorry."

I shrug, "It's fine, but I was actually wondering if you knew where Alex was? Or if you had seen her?"

Piper shakes her head, "I did but I don't know what cell block she's in. I'm sure you'll see her at meal time tomorrow."

I bit the inside of my lower lip, "I just-" I shook my head, "I don't know what the hell I'm doing here."

"Yeah me neither." Piper agreed.

That night after lights out, I laid in my bunk unable to sleep because of, as Nicky called it, Darth Vader's Space mask aka DeMarco's sleeping machine. And my mind drifted to thoughts of Alex and Piper and our life before this. I remember the first time I met Piper.

* * *

**Flashback**

Alex was trying to read her book on the flight but couldn't quite focus because of Piper's jittery knee shaking. Alex closed her book and slid her glasses up on top of her head and placed her hand on Piper's knee. Piper was looking out the window and turned back to Alex and gave a worried smile.

"Babe." Alex delicately kissed Piper's cheek as her hand slid up and gently squeezed Piper's upper thigh. "Relax okay, my family is going to love you."

Piper shook her head, "I know. I'm just nervous."

"Don't be." Alex said sincerely. Then Alex smiled devilishly as an idea came to her mind. She buried her face in Piper's shoulder and softly pressed her lips to the exposed skin of Piper's luscious neck. "You. Get to spend. Four uninterrupted days. With me." Alex said between kisses as Piper's eyes closed at Alex's soft kisses on her bare neck.

"Yeah. Are you going to make me feel better?" Piper teased.

Alex pulled back the thin sweater Piper was wearing, exposing her shoulder and tenderly planted a kiss. "I'll make you feel anyway you want." Alex said breathlessly as her hand traced up under Piper's shirt to her bra line.

"Alex! We're in public." Piper said as she looked around nervously and pulled Alex's hand out from underneath her shirt

Alex sighed defeated, and rested her head on Piper's shoulder, "You shouldn't tease me like that." Alex replied.

Piper rolled her eyes, "What were you expecting? To go get it on in the bathroom?" Piper asked.

"Not like we haven't done it before." Alex replied, thinking back to when they first made up after the Sylvie disaster and consummated their newfound relationship in a bar bathroom.

As they exited the plane along with the other passengers Piper grasped Alex's hand tightly as they walked through the terminal. "Relax" Alex said as she leaned over and pecked Piper's cheek.

"Alex! Alex!" Down the corridor Piper could see a young girl, holding the hand of who Piper assumed was her mother, calling out to Alex. The girl broke away from her mother's grasp and ran full force towards Alex. Alex smiled and reached down and picked the girl up swinging her in a circle in the middle of the hallways before hoisting her onto her hip.

"Pepper!" Alex planted a huge kiss on the little girl's cheek as the older woman came up and embraced Alex. "Hi Mom." Alex said. "Guys" Alex squeezed Piper's hand. "This is Piper." She looked over to her mother, "Pipes this is my mom Diane and," Alex paused and poked the little girl in the ribs causing her to laugh, "And this is Ally."

Piper held out her hand to Diane, "It's very nice to meet you."

"You too, Alex's told me wonderful things about you." Diane said warmly.

Piper turned to look at the girl who didn't say anything and was still snuggled up on Alex's hip and had her head nestled into the crook of Alex's neck. Alex could sense Piper's worry and whispered in Ally's ear, "Pepper can you say hi to my special friend?"

Ally sat up and smiled at Piper, "Hi." She said sweetly. Piper almost gasped at the shocking resemblance between Alex and Ally. Minus the hair and skin tones, their eye color and faces were nearly identical.

"Hi. I'm really glad to meet you Ally." Piper smiled.

As they arrived back at the Vause Residence and about 10 seconds after they made it inside, Ally turned to Alex, "Al are you going to stay in my room?"

Alex shared a smirk with Piper who was standing behind Ally and bent down clasping her wrists. "Well Ally, Piper and I are going to have our own room, we'll be in the guest bedroom."

"Why." Ally asked.

Alex smiled, "Remember we talked about that. Piper is a very special friend; she's my girlfriend. And Girlfriends get their own rooms."

Ally nodded, "So she's like Sylvie?" She tried to make sense of what Alex was telling her by relating it to things she knew, as children often do. Unaware that mentioning an ex in front of the new girlfriend was taboo.

Piper rolled her eyes from behind and Alex stifled a laugh. "Yes. Sylvie _was_ my girlfriend and Piper's my new girlfriend. _But_ they couldn't be more different." Alex emphasized.

Ally turned around and glanced at Piper then leaned forward rested one hand on Alex's shoulder and one hand on the side of her face and leaned into her ear. "But I like Sylvie. Sylvie braided my hair."

Alex smiled and tucked a golden strand of hair behind Ally's ear and winked at Piper, "I bet if you ask really nicely, Piper would braid your hair."

* * *

**Present**

"Hey get up! Or you're going to miss count." Nicky was viciously tugging on my arm trying to pull me out of my dead sleep. Everyone was scrambling around the bunk and I half asleep jumped out of my bunk just as the guard came in to do count. Just my luck it would be pedo-stache. He paused when he saw me and looked me up and down. "Click." He said seductively to me as he clicked the counter.

"Watch out for him, Pornstache is a fucking creep." Nicky told me. As if I didn't already know. She heads towards the door, "Ally you coming to breakfast?"

I nod, "Yeah I'm just going to go use the bathroom, I'll be right there." As I enter the bathroom I walk towards the sink and splash some cold water on my face, eager to start my first full day in jail. I cough into my arm and realize how bad my breath smells. That's what happens when you don't have a toothbrush or any toothpaste.

I rinsed my mouth out meticulously with warm water at least five times when Piper came in. She smiles as she see's my struggle and holds out her toothbrush. "Here you can use mine." And she hands me the toothpaste.

"Are you sure?"

Piper nods, "Not like we haven't shared a toothbrush before Ally." I chuckle thinking back to the many trips where one of both of us forgot a toothbrush and got stuck sharing Alex's. Not that she minded any.

As Piper and I walk into the cafeteria I scan the room looking for Alex. I finally recognize the back of her sitting at a table with Lorna and Nicky, facing away from me. Piper tells me she's going to go get in line and I stalk towards the table semi-nervous about what Alex would say. I wasn't sure if anyone had told her I was here. As I walk up I gently place my hand on her shoulder.

"What the-" She turns around and her face immediately softens. "Ally?" She jumps up and pulls me into a tight hug and I inhale her familiar scent and immediately feel safe as she strokes my hair.

"Hey! No touching!" Pornstache yells.

Alex pulls back and looks at me, "What the fuck are you doing here?"

I laugh, on the verge of tears, "They gave me the option 21 months in juvie or 9 months here. I couldn't pass up the shorter time."

Alex shook her head, "God part of me wants to slap the shit out of you for taking that deal but most of me is just so glad you're here." She tucks a lock of hair behind my ear. "Go get a tray, I'll wait here."

As I'm leaving the table the relief floods through me at having finally seen my sister for the first time in months. Alex has always been a constant in my life, and it had killed me not being with her.

"That a friend of yours?" Nicky asks Alex.

Lorna leans over and smiles, "That's her sister."

"No fucking way." Nicky replies.

Alex grimaces and sits back down, "No she is."

Nicky nods as she remembers what Ally had told her about her crime, "Wait so she's here because you…."

"She's here because I fucked up. And I didn't take care of her." Alex finishes.

* * *

**Flashback**

A young Ally woke up and rolled over to look at her alarm clock. It said 8:30am. That was weird because it was only Wednesday and she had school starting at 8 o'clock. Ally jumped out of bed and padded down the hallway into her mom, Diane's, room. The lights are still dark and the shades are pulled. "Mommy?" She walks forward and it looks like Diane is still sleeping. Ally tugs on her arm, "Mommy I'm going to be late." Diane doesn't move. Ally shakes her should forcefully, "Mommy!" Just then the phone on the nightstand rings. Ally answers it. "Hello?"

"_Hi is this Miss Vause?"_ A woman asks.

"This is Ally."

_"Oh! Ally. It's Ms. Mills from the main office at Jefferson Elementary. We were calling to see why you were absent, are you sick?"_

"I'm ok." Ally looks over to her mother, "I think Mommy is sick."

_"What's wrong with her?"_ The attendance woman asks, sounding concerned.

"She's not moving, and she won't wake up."

The woman takes a deep breath, _"Okay Ally this is important. On her arm, it doesn't matter which one, about an inch below her palm on the thumb side of the arm, place two fingers."_

"Okay."

_"Did you do it?"_

"Yup."

_"Do you feel anything?" _

"No."

_"There's no movement or a pulsing sensation in her arm?"_

"No." Ally repeats. Why was this woman having her do this?

_"Okay Ally, I'm going to call an ambulance okay? When they get there I need you to open the door."_ Ally can hear the woman shuffling papers, "_And it looks like your Aunt Sal is your emergency contact. So I'm going to call her and have her come over okay?"_

"Okay." Ally answers confused.

_"Stay on the line, sweetie, everything will be okay."_ Only it wasn't.

After Ally left the hospital with her Aunt Sal she wouldn't talk, or eat or move. She was lying on the couch motionless, replaying what she'd heard the Paramedics say when they arrived that morning. _"-Dead on the scene. -Probably died late last night. -Poor kid had to see her mother's body. -Didn't even know she was dead. –Probably an aneurysm. –Doubt she knew she even had it. –One minute she's here the next she's dead." _The image of the paramedics putting her mother into a black garbage back and wheeling her out of the house was seared into her brain.

Ally's cousins, Aunt Sal's kids, Jason and Joey who were 10 and 12 had stayed home from school and were yelling over their video games while Ally still stayed unmoving on the couch. Aunt Sal had called her niece Alex that morning right when she'd heard the news, and Alex had hopped the first plane she could get with her girlfriend Piper. It was almost 4 pm and they were due any minute.

As if on cue the doorbell rang. Aunt Sal opened the door and saw a grief stricken Alex and whom she assumed was her girlfriend. "Oh Alex." Sal tears up as she embraces her niece.

"Where's Ally?" Alex asks concerned.

Sal points around the corner, "She's in the bonus room with Joey and Jason." Alex dropped her stuff in the hallway and went off to find her sister as Sal led Piper into the kitchen.

"You're Piper I take it?" She says gruffly.

"Uh, yes mam." Piper replies, noticing all of Alex's extended family in the kitchen. "I'm sorry to intrude, um Alex asked me to come."

"That's fine. It's probably better that Alex has somebody here. Losing her mom and all." Sal replied.

Piper nodded, "Yeah what- what happened? I know she died suddenly…"

"Aneurysm. They said she died immediately." Another woman replied, who Piper thought was Alex's aunt Jeanine.

"Just terrible." Another woman chimed in, "Poor girl found her mother in bed, dead. Just laid down and at some point last night her aneurysm ruptured and she died in her sleep."

"Wait Ally… Ally found her?" Piper clarified.

Sal nodded, "Poor kid hasn't said a word all day."

Piper looked out from the archway into the bonus room, which she could see from the kitchen, and saw Alex trying to talk to Ally. "It's going to be so hard for her to adjust."

Sal shrugged, "She'll get used to it. It'll be good for her to be around some young kids her age and Joey and Jason love their cousin, they'll treat her like a sister."

"Wait what?" Piper asked confused, "Ally…is staying here?"

Sal looked at her like she was retarded, "Where else would she stay?"

Piper nibbled the inside of her lower lip nervously but decided not to say anything. Alex hadn't mentioned really what was going to happen to Ally but Piper had assumed Alex would take her in, considering she loved that little girl more than anything else on the planet.

In the bonus room Alex knelt down next to the couch and stroked Ally's hair. "Hey baby." Ally looked up at her, her lower lip quivering.

"Is she really gone?" Ally asked.

Alex felt her tears fall down over her cheek, and she nodded, "Yeah she is, but I don't want you to worry because I'm going to take care of you." Alex held her arms out and Ally reached up and wrapped her arms around Alex's neck and locked her legs around Alex's waist as she buried her face in Alex's hair. Alex stroked her back as Ally started to sob uncontrollably.

"Shhh. Baby it's okay." She rocked her back and forth, "It'll be okay. Come on let's go lay down."

Alex carried her past the kitchen into one of the guest bedrooms and laid down on the bed and just let Ally cry, her tears soaking Alex's shirt. A little while later Ally's crying had subsided and she was now sleeping, clutching Alex's shirt between shallow breaths, when Piper gently knocked on the door.

Piper poked her head in and Alex nodded, gesturing to the other side of the bed. Piper quietly closed the door and sat down on the edge of the bed. "How is she doing?" Piper asked.

"I guess as good as can be expected." Alex replied.

Piper nodded, "So Ally… is going to move in here then?"

"What? What the hell are you talking about?" Alex pressed.

"You're Aunt? She was telling me about how Ally would get used to the routine here." Piper answered.

Alex's jaw dropped as she sat forward, "What? Fuck that!" She said loudly causing Ally to stir. Alex laid back down and after a few breath's Ally's breathing evened out. "Is she insane. Ally isn't staying her with her."

"Where's she going to go?" Piper asked, although she already knew the answer.

Alex's face softened, "Pipes I can't just leave her." Alex pleaded, "I know it's not what you signed up for but…you don't have to stay if you don't want to." Alex's face fell to Ally.

Piper looked over at Alex, their earlier fight seemed so irrelevant. She scooted towards Alex on the bed and brushed some of the hair out of Alex's eyes. "Hey. I signed up to be with you. If this is what you want to do then I'm going to be with you every step of the way."

Alex carefully unwound herself from Ally and leaned over the sleeping child and grasped Piper's face lightly with one hand, "God I fucking love you." Alex whispered as she lost herself in Piper's kiss, mourning temporarily forgotten.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The first thing I learned in prison; is that you have an infinite amount of free time. Before Litchfield all of my free time was filled with electronic devices, social media, Netflix, anything to keep me occupied. I suppose the purpose is so that Inmates can "reflect" upon their sentencing and why they're being punished, but the only thing I was reflecting upon was how shitty my situation was. I was sitting on my bunk counting the tiles on the ceiling when I noticed Miss Rosa picking her nipple hairs with a tweezer. It made me want to throw up.

Evidently Nicky felt the same way. "You sick fuck. Do that in the bathroom." Nicky snapped.

"Is he allowed to watch us like that?" Piper interrupted. I leaned around the corner and sure enough there was CO Mendez watching Piper change. "Pornstache" as the inmates called him.

"Pornstache? He does whatever he wants." Nicky informed us before jumping down off her bunk, "One of these day's your gonna have to change your panties Chapman, that shit's gotta be getting ripe." Nicky leaned over into the mirror and pulled at her hair, "Look at this. I asked Sophia to do my roots she says there's a two-week waiting list."

DeMarco chuckled from the inside of her sleep mask, "I wouldn't let that he-she touch me with a 10 foot pole."

Nicky smiled passive aggressively, "Hey well maybe you'll go bald everywhere but in the tits like Rosa. And Sophia's pole is a hole now."

That earned a chuckled from me. Since I'd gotten here I'd been very reclusive, only talking when somebody spoke to me unless it was Alex. Although I had been talking to Piper a lot. We were bunkies and both new, and it's easier to adjust to a routine with somebody else that's new.

"_Watson, Mendoza, Diaz. Report to your counselor for your bunk assignments."_ The message came over the PA system.

"Wait so we didn't get assigned?" I asked Nicky.

"This is bullshit." Nicky shook her head, "You know I did my time in SHU. How much longer are they gonna keep me in here with Darth Vader and Mr. Clean."

"Fuck you." Miss Rosa said as she laid down.

"Wait, why didn't we get assigned?" Piper asked.

Nicky pulled out a Q-Tip and started dewaxing her ears. "Don't worry. I bet Healy's just behind on his paper work. They're gonna put you guys in the suburbs with the other white people." Nicky told us.

"So how do they choose your roommate?" Piper tried to ask casually.

Nicky smiled devilishly, "Why you afraid you're gonna end up with your rocker-lezzie girlfriend?" Nicky said as she winked at me

I almost burst out laughing at the sight of Piper's face after Nicky mentioned Alex to Piper. I guess it was becoming general news about Piper and Alex's intense but short-lived relationship.

Piper all but leapt off of the bed. "Uh, um I uh have to go to laundry distribution. Ally are you coming?"

I nodded and slid my legs around the side of my bunk and carefully worked my way down and followed Piper.

As we got into line there was an uncomfortable silence that had fallen between us. Me being the little sister of Piper's ex rocker-lezzie girlfriend. But you know I didn't understand why Piper was being a huge bitch to Alex now.

"Piper do you hate Alex?" I ask.

Piper turned back to me and paused, I could sense her internally debating over how to answer, "It's complicated Ally. I mean-"

"Hey time to peel that Orange newbies." Nicky interrupted as she joined Lorna in the laundry line.

"Yeah you're one of us now," Lorna chimed as Chapman went up to the window to get her clothes.

"Nine and a half right?" I hear Alex's familiar raspy voice come through the window.

Piper swallows hard, "Ten." I stifle a chuckle. Piper was most definitely a size 9 and a half because I bought shoes for her, for her birthday, when we all still lived together and were some big happy family. I don't know why Piper cared that Alex remembered her shoe size, I thought it was sweet.

"Oh." Alex says over-interestedly, "Did your feet swell when you went back to boys." I can hear the smug smile I'm sure was spread across my sister's face.

"Fuck you." Piper said calmly as she grabbed her cloths and left.

I come around the corner where Alex could see me, "Awh it seems like you two are really making amends."

Alex smirked and grabbed me some uniforms and a pair of boots, "Shut up Ally. Here's your clothes."

* * *

**Flashback**

"Ally here's your clothes alright? They're on top of the sink." Alex stared at the normally rambunctious child who was now sitting idly, staring at the shower nob, in what Alex was sure was now cold bath water. "Ally? Did you here me."

Ally turned her head and stared intently at her big sister who was standing by the tub, "Yes Alex I did." She replied formally.

Alex sighed and knelt down next to the tub. The past month hadn't been easy. Ally had officially moved in and had been more than a pain in Alex's ass. And Alex's life wasn't exactly suited for having a child barge through it and plant her roots, but Alex was trying her hardest and Ally…. wasn't.

Alex grabbed the shampoo bottle and started massaging her fingers through Ally's hair as Ally rested her head on her knees. "Did you learn anything at school today?" Alex asked quietly.

"No." Ally replied curtly.

"You're teacher called, said you haven't been participating during class all week." Ally deliberately ignored Alex. Alex breathed in deeply trying to calm herself; Ally hadn't been responsive to Alex all month, "Okay baby, duck under the water and rinse." Ally, for once obeying, gulped a huge breath of air and submerged underwater.

"Hey." Alex turned around to see Piper leaning up against the doorway to the bathroom, sporting a cozy lavender sweatshirt and snug fitting jeans, her hair flowing on either side of Piper's head, in loose curls almost to her waist.

Alex smiled, "Hey yourself."

"I missed you today." Piper admitted.

Alex smiled seductively and stood up and sauntered over to Piper, "Oh did you?"

"Mhm." Piper gasped as Alex's lips grazed her jaw. "What are you doing in here?" She asked.

"I'm just waiting for Ally to finish up her bath." Alex said, her lips at Piper's neck, not wanting to break the mood.

Piper pulled back, "Wait is Ally? Under the water."

"Oh shit!" Alex lunged across the room and pulled Ally out of the water where she was still submerged, "What the hell are you doing?" Alex nearly yelled.

"I was seeing how long I could hold my breath!" Ally said defensively.

Alex grabbed a towel and draped it around Ally's shoulders and pick her up out of the tub, placing her on the bath mat, "Until what, you drown?"

Ally glared between Alex and Piper. "You're no fun anymore." She muttered as she walked towards the door.

Piper grimaced at Ally's words because she knew this would lead to a big explosion, Alex and Ally had been on the brink of a huge fight for the past 2 weeks, and Alex had just about reached her limit. Alex's jaw dropped, "Excuse me? I'm not fun anymore."

"No you're not!" Ally yelled.

"Well I'm an adult Ally!" Alex yelled back, "I have a job and stuff to do, including taking care of you. Would you rather have instead lived with Aunt Sal?"

"MAYBE I WOULD." Ally screamed.

"Good!" Alex said exasperated, "I'll call her up and you can go live with her instead!"

"She'd be a better mom than you are! I hate you." Ally yelled before passing Piper and running out of the bathroom, slamming her bedroom door shut.

Alex stormed after Ally but Piper held her arm out blocking the doorway and stopping her, "Give her a minute babe."

Alex shook her head and brought her hand to her forehead, "I just- I don't know what to do anymore. I feel like I've been doing everything that I know how to do." Alex paused as her voice wavered and she held back tears.

"Shh." Piper soothed as she rubbed Alex's shoulders, "You're doing the best that you know how to do. Ally just needs time to adjust."

"We used to be so close. I just- I don't understand. I used to be her favorite person and I feel like she hates me now." Alex admitted.

Piper smiled sympathetically, "It's because now you have to be an adult. Before it was cool, fun Alex that could come whisk her away on extravagant vacations and take her out for ice cream and act like a kid. But now you're in charge of her so you can't act like that anymore."

Alex believed what Piper was saying, and it made sense but it didn't hurt any less. "I don't know I mean maybe she would be happier at Sal's."

Piper narrowed her eyes, "You know Ally wouldn't rather live with anyone else except you. She's just saying that because she's angry. And I don't think you could forgive yourself if you left her. Her mom is dead and she doesn't know how to deal with it."

"Yeah I know, my mom is dead too Piper!" Alex snapped before immediately recoiling. "Pipes, I- I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me."

Piper smoothed down Alex's hair, "It's okay. Why don't I go talk to Ally? Try to smooth things over."

Alex waved her arm carelessly, "It's worth a shot."

* * *

**Present**

Piper and I were running on the track. Piper invited me to go with her and I had forgotten how much I enjoyed it. Back when we were still living in Manhattan I used to jog all around but I hadn't jogged in months. Piper paused and rested her hands on her knees breathing heavily, so I stopped and waited. "Since when do you run faster than I do?" She said breathlessly.

I chuckle, "Face it Pipes, you're an old woman. I'm just more youthful."

Piper rolls her eyes, "Alright, lets not get too cocky I could still beat you long distance."

"Oh you think so?" I tease.

"Yeah I do." Piper leans down into a runners position, "Take your mark." I'm just about to bend down to get into position when I hear yelling.

"Hello baby!" A black woman yells as she comes running full speed towards us. As she gets closer I can see who it is. Crazy eyes. I had been warned by several people to stay away from her.

Piper stands up to get a better view. "Oh fuck." She says under her breath.

"Look at you getting your sweat on. You look all shiny I bet you don't even smell funky." Crazy Eye's says as she approaches us and Piper pulls me into her chest protectively and starts walking away. Crazy eyes leans into Piper's armpit and sniffs, "I knew you wouldn't!" She yelled causing Piper to pick up her pace and pull me away from Crazy Eyes. "You a real woman Chapman. A real grown woman. I can't waste my time on any of these silly bitches. I need a real woman."

"I'm sure that you'll find one." Piper tries.

"I wrote a poem!" Crazy eyes says suddenly, "You want to hear?"

"You know that's actually fine-" Piper said before Crazy eyes cut her off with her poem.

"Before I met you the sun was like a yellow grape." Crazy eyes pretends to take a bite or a sour grape and astonishingly her eyes popped out even more than they already do. "But now it look like fire in the sky. Why? Because you-" She pointed at Piper, "Light a fire insiiiidddde, me."

I stand there stunned, "Wow." I say. And I mean it. She was batshit crazy and I felt sorry for Piper.

"I wrote it for you." Crazy eyes informs us.

"Really?" I say feigning ignorance, "I can swear that's an Edgar Allen Poe poem."

Crazy Eye's face falls, "What?"

"You know, _my fiancé_ is a writer." Piper tries to shake her off.

Crazy eyes locks eyes with Piper then bends down and picks up a flower, "I'm gonna call you Dandelion. 'Cause they're pretty and yellow, just like you." Crazy eyes hand's the flower to Piper right as the guard yells.

"Everybody out! Let's go." He commands.

"Wait what's going on?" I ask as Piper, Me and Crazy eyes meet the guard at the gate.

"Locking up the track." He tells us.

"Why?" Piper asks.

The CO shrugs, "Budget cuts. No staff to cover it."

Piper panics, "But I have to run. It's the only thing that'll make me feel normal."

"Is there nothing we can do?" I ask the guard.

He sighed irritated as he locks the gate, "Look. I'm tired and busy. Y'all gonna have to do your swirl, somewhere else."

"Swirl?" Piper asks him confused, but he just walks away.

Crazy eyes grabs Piper hand and starts dancing, "Chocolate and Vanilla. Swir-irl. Swir-irl." Well I guess that answered Piper's question about what Swirling is. Apparently a swirl is some mixed, interracial, lesbian sex. Piper gulps as Crazy Eyes keeps holding her hand and it's all I can do not to burst out laughing at this whole situation.

* * *

As we head towards the cafeteria I stop by the bathroom briefly and run into Nicky on the way out. She throws her arm around me, "Hey little Vause, you headed to cafeteria."

"Yes mam." I reply.

Nicky brushes a wisp of hair back that was falling over my eyes as we walk into the cafeteria, "You know I was wondering how the whole Genes thing worked with you and Alex, like she got the super sexy rocker lesbian genes and you got the typical straight beach babe white girl genes-"

I was only half listening because almost as soon as we entered the cafeteria my attention was diverted to Crazy eyes who was screaming at Alex who was sitting at a table across from Piper.

"Move bitch." Crazy eyes says semi-aggressively to Alex.

"Oh fuck this can't end well." Nicky says.

"Should we go help?" I ask.

Nicky shakes her head, "Nah kid, stay back here, your sister can take care of herself."

"You see this my wife here," Crazy eyes gestures to Piper, "So you need to step off-"

"Well actually, no I'm not your-" Piper tries when Crazy eyes suddenly bursts out of her seat.

"I will cut you!" She shouts at Alex as she slams her fists on the table. "I WILL CUT YOU BITCH! DON'T MAKE ME CUT YOU." Wham the next thing I see is pie flying and splattering Alex's uniform, " You know where the fuck you at bitch! You don't know me!" Crazy eyes yells at Alex as she dumps her tray and flees the cafeteria.

Nicky nudges me and gestures to the food line, "Hey kid you coming?"

I nod, "Oh uh yeah. Let me just- I'll meet you there." I tell her. She gives me an odd look but then goes and gets in line. I bolt out of there. To be honest I wasn't planning on coming back to the food line I wanted to check on Alex. I stop by my room and grab a shirt then I walk through her cellblock, extra quietly, because technically I'm not supposed to be there since I haven't been assigned yet. And I walk by her bunk but it's empty. Then I go to the bathroom, I'm allowed to be in the bathroom since this is the shared bathroom with inmates in holding. It appeared empty. I was just turning to leave when I hear sniffling coming from Satan's stall. I sneak over and peer through the crack and see a glimpse of Alex, who's crouching next to the toilet holding herself. Honestly, I hadn't seen her this bad since... well, since she and Piper first broke up, so many years ago.

I knock softly, "Al?"

I hear her stand up and by the time she opens the stall she looks like her usual self, no hint of moroseness or anger. Maybe slight agitation. That was the thing about Alex she could read people's emotions like they were written on their foreheads but Alex was adept at hiding her emotions.

"Hey kid." She smiles as if everything is fine, but I can see she took off her khaki top and was clutching it with one arm while she flaunted her bare arms in her white under tank.

I smile and hand her the khaki uniform top, "Here, it's my extra. I just got them today, so I can just wear this one until laundry day."

Alex wrinkles her nose and pulls the top on, "Why are you being so nice to me." She shakes her head, "It's my fault you're here."

I shrug, "I chose to do what I did Alex. Nobody forced me. Nobody had a gun to my head." Alex turns to the counter and starts soaking her pie stained top in the sink. I stand closely behind her, "I saw what happened." I say softly. She stares at me in the mirror. Whatever emotions she's feeling are hidden behind her steel blue irises. "Do you still love her?" I finally ask.

Alex locks eyes with me in the mirror before looking down at the sink, "It doesn't matter." I nod thoughtfully before a chuckle escapes from my lips. Alex smiles, "What?"

I shake my head, "I was just thinking about how calm Piper used to be. Now she's an agitated, provocative woman."

Alex laughs lightly and smiles, "I remember. She always used to mediate our fights, back when we were still together."

"Yeah we used to fight a lot in the beginning, huh Al." I tease.

Alex turns around, leaning back against the counter and faces me, "Well maybe if you hadn't been such a brat." She jokes.

"_Well_ maybe..." I start and realize I have no leverage. "You're right, maybe if I hadn't been such a brat when we first moved in together." I admit.

* * *

**Flashback**

Piper knocked on the door to Ally's room and without waiting for a reply entered "Hey." Ally ignored her. As Piper neared the bed she could see Ally had changed into a baggy gray t-shirt and was sitting on the edge of the bed holding a photo of Diane, Alex and Ally that usually was placed on her nightstand. Piper had been trying all month to get closer to Ally but every time Piper tried Ally ignored her.

"You guys all look so happy." Piper notes.

Ally looks up at her and nods. "I miss when it was me, Alex, and Mommy."

Piper cautiously sat on the bed, not sure of what to say but knowing if she pressed too much Ally would shut down. "Do you want me to braid your hair?" Ally nodded and placed the photo on the nightstand before turning away from Piper. Piper pulled her fingers through Ally's hair and started doing a French braid, "You know it'll look really pretty if you take it out tomorrow morning and it'll be wavy."

Ally didn't reply. Piper felt bad because she knew that the real Ally was an adorable, sweet, talkative kid who loved Alex more than anybody in the world but ever since her mom had died she'd become a different person. Piper concentrated on the braid, positive that Ally would open up soon, and she did. "Do you think it's my fault?" Ally asked Piper sincerely.

"What's your fault?" Piper asked confused.

"That she died." Ally clarified.

Piper gulped hard and tied off Ally's braid with a hair tie before throwing it over her shoulder. Piper gripped under Ally's arms and turned her so they were facing each other. Piper tilted up Ally's head with one hand, "Ally. It is _not_ your fault that your mom died. It was an accident."

"But what if I had known and I'd called 911. I was in the next room." Ally pleaded.

Piper looked at her very serious, "Ally. You didn't kill her. Even if you had been there and called 911 right away they wouldn't have been able to save her." Piper nodded, as it finally made sense; why Ally had been so distant, "Is that why you haven't been yourself, because you think you killed her?" Ally looked down at her knees and nodded. Piper patted her legs and Ally hesitated before climbing into Piper's lab and resting her head on Piper's shoulder. "You didn't do anything wrong Ally." Piper reinforced as she cuddled the little girl.

"Does Alex hate me?" Ally asked.

Piper chuckled and pulled back to look at Ally, "She most definitely does not. In fact Alex thinks that you hate her."

Ally's eyes grew wide, "I don't hate her. I love Alex."

Piper smiled, "You should go tell her that, now. You should make up with her Ally. Because it really hurts her how she thinks that you're mad at her." Ally nodded and climbed off of Piper's lap.

"Are you coming?" Ally asked.

Piper smiled again, "I'll wait. You should talk to her." Ally nodded and walked through the house looking for her big sister. She finally found Alex snuggled in bed reading.

"Alex?" Ally said tentatively.

Alex looked up at the door and seeing Ally, closed her book, "What's up baby?" She asked.

Ally walked around to the left side of the bed where Alex was laying. "Are you going to send me away? To live somewhere else." She asked.

Alex slid her glasses on top of her head, her signature move and picked up Ally and placed her on her lap so Ally was straddling Alex's legs facing her. Ally placed one hand on Alex's chest and fumbled with Alex's necklace. "Do you want to go live somewhere else?" Alex asked.

Ally shook her head vehemently, "No I want to stay here with you, and Piper." She added.

Alex couldn't help but smile, trying to hide her relief. "Then I won't send you anywhere."

Ally kept fingering Alex's necklace idly, "I'm sorry I said I hated you." Ally started to cry, "But I like you better as a sister than a mom." She admitted.

Alex wrapped her arms tightly around the girl and pulled her into her chest cradling Ally's sobs, "I like being a sister better than being a mom." Alex pulled back and brushed a wisp of hair out of her eyes, "I tell you what. I won't act like an overbearing mother if you don't act like a whiny daughter."

Ally smiled, "I can do that."

Alex smiled back and tickled Ally causing her to roll over next to Alex on the bed, looking up at the ceiling, "Oh can you?" Alex teased.

Piper upon hearing the giggling coming from her bedroom cautiously entered the room and leaned against the doorframe, enjoying the Vause sister reunion. "I love you Alex." Ally said.

Alex exchanged a genuine thankful glimpse with Piper, "I love you too Pepper." She replied, using her old pet name for Ally, that had been absent from Alex's vocabulary all month.

"I have a secret." Ally whispered.

Alex smiled and leaned down, grateful that Ally had reclaimed her as a confident. "What is it?"

"I love Piper too." Ally whispered in a very loud not-really-a-whisper voice that Piper could hear from the doorway. Alex looked up at Piper who had turned her head but Alex could swear she saw Piper trying to hide a genuine happiness smile at Ally's statement.

* * *

**Present**

After I had finished showering I was sitting on the counter talking to Alex while she was washing her face, when the voice came onto the intercom. It sounded like O'Neill "_Vause. Please report to your counselor, Vause." _I look over at Alex and grin. I had only been here for a few days and already everybody was confusing us. The voice came back on the intercom, "_A, Vause. Report to You're counselor_."

Alex smiled and shook her head, "You know you'd think the CO's who were in charge wouldn't be complete ass-hats but-"

Finally Cerberus interrupts sounding thoroughly irritated, "_Alyssa Vause, report to your Counselor for bunk assignment."_

I roll my eyes and hop off the counter. Alex places one hand gently on my shoulder, "Okay kid. Be careful, don't give your new bunkmate attitude. Because if you get your face bashed in then I'm gonna have to strangle a bitch and end up in SHU." Alex joked, but I could sense the serious undertone to her sentence. Alex didn't joke about my safety. I kisses Alex on the cheek and went to go see my Counselor, CO Healy.

Alex was brushing her teeth when Piper walked by wrapped in only a skimpy towel. Piper stared at her and Alex's heart sped up as her gaze dropped to Piper's long, toned legs. Piper glared and turned to leave. "I'm in here at 5 just about everyday. You don't like it? Avoid it." Alex said coldly.

Piper turned back, unable to hold in her fury any longer, "You named me," she spat.

Alex gave her a confused look, "What?"

"You didn't have to take me down with you." Piper snarled, her voice raising slightly.

Alex laughed, "Is that what all this is about? You think I turned you in?"

"You hadn't seen me in 8 years! You had no idea what was going on with me; I'm a different person. I was building a life." Piper informed Alex.

"Oh, well hurray for you." Alex interrupted, "It wasn't me Piper."

"Bull shit!" Piper snapped, "You never ever forgave me for leaving."

Alex paused as Piper's words sunk in, stinging more than they should have, "Thirteen people were indicted. You met all of them. We traveled together." Alex said calmly as she tried to hold herself together.

Piper stood her ground, "I know it was you."

"No it wasn't." Alex repeated. "And fuck you for thinking that it was." Alex turned to walk out.

"Right! What'd they give you? Time off for every innocent person you threw under the bus? You name Ally too?" Piper threw at her.

Alex turned around and got up in Piper's face, "Fuck you Piper. You don't know Ally anymore. You don't know our lives. And you call yourself innocent? That's fucking hilarious." Alex mock laughed, "You carried that bag." Alex said firmly. "No one had a gun to your head. Your fiancé might buy this bullshit. But I know you. _I_ know you. And there were no complaints when I took you all over the world." Alex paused as her voice quivered, "But the _second_ shit got real-"

"You put me in danger!" Piper interrupted in a loudly hushed tone.

Alex smiled, amazed at how Piper had chosen to rewrite their history, "You loved it!" Alex shook her head, "You were just this boring little girl from Connecticut who wanted to feel special and bad."

"Don't turn this around on me." Piper demanded.

"I didn't name you." Alex repeated firmly. "And yeah maybe I never forgave you for leaving," Alex tried to steady her voice, "because you, broke my fucking heart." She admitted, "And maybe I've done a lot of fucked up things in my life, but I've never lied to you. Ever." Alex said before turning and walking out, leaving Piper standing alone in the cold bathroom.

* * *

I tapped my knee nervously while I sat in the chair in Healy's office. He licked his lips and looked over some Paperwork "Okay Vause. I'm placing you in the suburbs, but I don't want any shenanigans."

I tilted my head slightly, "I'm sorry sir?"

"There's going to be a lot of women in here. Who've been locked up for too long. They want a young taut woman. Litchfield has a 0 tolerance policy for sexual activity." Healy informed me.

"Oh I'm not gay sir." I itold him.

He grimaced at me, "Listen Vause. Our prison policy supports homosexuality but rejects sex in prison. Whether you're gay or not people in prison get lonely. But I'm here to tell you, that you do not have to have sex if you don't want too. That's part of the reason I'm placing you in the suburbs, safer with the uh- white people." Hm. Racist much? "You seem like a smart educated kid." I nod, and he continues, "I noticed you've been spending a lot of time with Chapman."

What does this have to do with anything? "Yes, sir." I reply.

He nods at me, "Good, I'm hoping she has a good influence on most of the women around here." He gestures to the door, "Now go to your cellblock. A CO will take you there show you the routine."

I stand up and head towards the door, "Thank you Mr. Healy." I say genuinely. He nods and I pull the door open. As I do I am met face to face with CO Mendez. Aka Pornstache.

He stares at me and repositions his belt with both hands, "Well, well, well Little Vause. Let me show you to your new bunk."

A shiver shoots down my spine and I practically hug the hallway wall as we make our way down to "The Suburbs", trying to stay as far away from him as possible. As we enter the cellblock Mendez pauses at a bunk where I can see Watson is laying in one of the beds. What the hell? I thought this was the suburbs. "Watson, this is your bunkmate, Vause." He turns to me, "Vause, follow the rules and you won't have any trouble." He leans down and places his hand on the small of my back and whispers in my ear, "But if you do have any problems…" I can hear the smugness in his voice, "Let me know. And I'll uh- be sure to handle them." His hand slides down and squeezes my ass before he finally leaves my bunk.

Watson stares at me, "Girl you got big problems if Pornstache is trying to get it in with you. He can make your life a living hell."

"My life already is a living hell." I reply as I start setting up my bunk. But part of me wonders if Watson is right, was Pornstache fucking around or did he really want to 'get it in'? Either way I didn't want to find out.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"Do you have any tape by chance?" I ask my new Bunkie Janae, aka Watson. I was trying to tape up a picture of me and Alex on my wall.

She's laying in her bunk staring at the floor, "Bitch do I look like fucking Martha Stewart?" she replies before rolling over and facing the wall.

I nod my head, "Alright good talk." Basically my new roommate hated me. But I felt sorry for her. She probably felt out of place. I would feel out of place if I were in the ghetto or Spanish Harlem. She was originally Ms. Claudette's roommate but Ms. Claudette got her transferred. But to be honest I was kind of pissed because this means that Piper was supposed to be my roommate until Watson fucked it up. But nonetheless I was trying to be nice to her. But she wasn't very receptive.

"Hey newbie. Walk with me?" I look over to see one of the inmates gesture to me. It's the blonde one with cornrows and a barbed wire neck tattoo. To be honest, she kind of scared me. I gulp and head over, not exactly sure of what she wanted. "Healy told me to tell you that you're job is in electrical. That's where I work so he asked me to take you there."

"Oh, ok." I instantly feel bad for my jumping to conclusions about her.

"So what's your name?" She asks as we start walking.

"Ally." I answer nervously.

"I'm Tricia. Nice to meet ya. I'm 19." She informs me.

My jaw drops. "Really?" I shake my head nervously, "Oh I mean. Wow." I thought she was 25 at least.

She shrugs it off, "Yeah drugs don't help the aging process any." She sounds so much more older and mature than she looks.

"I'm 18." I tell her.

She laughs, "Yeah I guessed that. You look like a baby walking around here." I roll my eyes and she laughs again, "What did you do?"

"Drugs." I answer. She archs an eyebrow at me, "Smuggling not using." I clarify.

She smiles at me, "Yeah I didn't picture you as a drug user, baby doll." We approach a building and she pulls open the door for me. "Welcome to your first day of hell." She says as I enter.

"Newts. Gather around." A big burly CO, whom I haven't seen before, orders us. As I walk in with Tricia I see Nicky drilling a hole in the wall. "Newts. Where are my Newts? Gather here." He repeats.

"Newts." I hear from behind me. I turn around and see Piper standing there. I smile. Thank god I had some people in here to talk to.

"It's his adorable word for Newbies." Nicky tells us, sounding very irritated.

I stare at the seemingly random hole Nicky was drilling in the wall. "What are you doing?" I ask her.

"It's an art piece representing the futility of blue collar labor, in a technological age." Nicky replies dully. "And Vagina's" She adds as she fingers the hole. She sniffs her hand that was previously fingering the dry wall. "Go gather before he yells in your face. He's got breath like dead things." Nicky tells us.

Piper glances at me while I nod at how particularly odd Nicky was acting and go see my new 'boss'.

"Welcome to the Electric shop." He says bored. He points to the wall of metal behind a gate, "Tool's are kept here. If you want a tool, turn in a chit. Chit's have numbers and the numbers are assigned to you. If tool's go missing, we know who has them and your ass is grass."

I nod and take a seat across from Piper, and I was overjoyed to realize that my Watson my roommate was also sitting diagonal across from me. As if I didn't have to see her enough, now we got to spend our whole day together.

Piper holds up a finger, "Mr. Luschek? I think that there's been a mistake. I asked to be put in the education program." Piper says sincerely.

I roll my eyes. Piper really never did learn when to take her lumps. CO Luschek feigns endearment, "Oh, is that right sweetheart?"

"Yes." Piper nods. "I think I'd be more useful there. I was a TA in college."

"What's that? Like tits and ass?" He laughs and his big fat belly jiggles.

"Isn't that harassment?" I say. The guards aren't allowed to talk to us like this. He stares at me blankly until Piper interrupts.

"I'm just saying that I know something about teaching and I don't know the first thing about electrical work. Neither of us do." Piper gestures to me.

Luschek clasps his palms together, "Newbies repeat after me. 'Don't electrocute yourself.'"

"Don't electrocute yourself." Piper and I mumble back.

Luschek smiles egregiously, "Now you know the first thing." He throws a huge manual down on the table, "Here read this." He pulls out a lamp from under the table and slams it down. "Then fix this. The lights turns on you can call it a day. That goes for all you newts." He clears his throat, "Read, fix the lamp, go away. That's your day, that's your job."

"Don't jobs pay?" I blurt it out. My smartass tongue had a mind of its own sometimes.

"This is bullshit." Watson says aloud.

He shrugs, "you're making 11 cents an hour."

Watson laughs. "Right. So I could like save up and buy a 6 dollar Pepsi at the company store."

"Pepsi's $5.75" Flaca corrects Watson.

"It's bullshit! I ain't picking cotton." Watson answers.

"This isn't a plantation, we're doing electrical work." I answer. Laughs and a round of "oh's" and "damn" and "got you Watson" go around the room and I immediately bite my tongue and just wish the cement would swallow me up. Watson was glaring at me and I was pretty sure I was going to get an ass kicking tonight. Or she'd slit my throat in my sleep. Either one.

"God you're one of them." Luschek says, annoyed.

"Bet your ass I am." Watson replies smugly.

"Fine sit in the cage and check out tool. In other words sit on your ass all day and do nothing. You think you can handle that?" He asks talking to Watson like she was a child.

"Now you speakin' my language." She answers. I shake my head, can't believing she took the bait.

"Wait, I'm sorry," I say to Luschek, "What's the point of this? Nobody uses these lamps anyway."

Luschek walks towards me and leans into my face, and I immediately realize that Nicky is right. His breath smells like dead things. "The point is that I told you to fix 'em. So fix 'em!" He says loudly.

* * *

"God why is this so difficult?" I say aloud. I'd been staring at my lamp for the past hour willing it to work and so far nothing. Piper wasn't doing much better. About 20 minutes ago she'd started talking to herself. "Remove the strand off the body-"

"Hey blondies." Nicky interrupts, "You want a lunch break."

"Oh god. Yes please." I reply as I slam down my lamp and follow Nicky out.

"Bologna." Nicky says as we sit down at the table and I take a bite of my sandwich. Trying to force the dry bread down my throat. Nicky laughs, "Like your lunch kid?"

I grimace and pick at my sandwich. I glance over at Piper and turn back to Nicky, thinking back to what Nicky said about how the walls have eyes and how Red handled Piper's comments about the food, "I'm not complaining." I answer.

"You learn fast." Nicky replies. You know out of all the inmates here Nicky may very well be my favorite. Of the new people I had met. Something about her was so off hand and hilarious. Her spontaneity kept me wondering. "So how's it going?" She asks Piper.

"I can't get my lamp to turn on." Piper answers.

"Yeah long day for you guys." Nicky responds, "Well I, on the other hand, am feeling great job satisfaction. My whole in the wall goes very deep." Nicky chuckles, "So how's your guys mental health going?"

"You know, I can't shake the feeling that at the end of the day I'm gonna be able to go home." I reply.

"When I wake up in the morning, there are a few seconds before I realize where I am, and then I do realize, and I can't breathe. And I wanna cry, and throw shit, and kill myself. When does that end?" I felt so bad for Piper. I remember feeling that way after my mom died, but I'd had Alex and Piper to ease the pain. In here Piper didn't have anyone, because to be honest, she wouldn't let anybody be there for her. Alex, or me. I remember when we used to all be a family, the late nights playing board games, or watching movies, or going out for ice cream. Or snuggling up between Alex and Piper in bed when I didn't want to sleep alone. I briefly wondered what happened to those people who used to be so happy and were so long gone.

Nicky sighed, "I'll let you know."

"Lunch is over ladies." Luschek said.

"No, but we just sat down." Piper argued.

Luschek smiled, "And now you can get up and get back to work." He glance over at Nicky, "Speaking of which, what the fuck are you doing in there Nichols?"

"I'm makin' you a glory hole Luschek." She snaps.

"Oh," He pauses awkwardly, "Then by all means carry on." Nicky scoffed and we all finished our lunches and headed back inside.

* * *

"Well Piper prepare to be amazed." I said smugly. Positive I had just finished rebuilding this hideous lamp. I turn the lamp on and my hand is immediately met with the shocking sensation that radiates throughout my arm, causing me to scream. "OW!" I shake my hand out as I hear everyone else laughing, including Piper, much to my dismay.

Nicky comes over and strokes my hair, "Awh its like free shock therapy, you might lose your short term memory but it's a sweet escape."

"Guess you forgot the first rule of electrical." I look up and see Tricia smiling at me.

"Yeah I'll try to remember not to electrocute myself next time." I retort.

"Work's done ladies. Wrap it up." Luschek says.

Piper nervously approaches him, "I couldn't make my lamp work." She admits.

Luschek shrugs, "You'll try again tomorrow."

"But you said-" Piper starts.

"I say a lot of shit" Luschek interrupts, "Then I wanna go home. So clean up, return your tools."

After everybody finishes cleaning up Luschek suddenly freaks out. "Come on this is ridiculous." He yells at Watson, "The screwdriver is missing? Someone's gotta have it."

Watson shrugs, "I don't know."

Luschek shakes his head, "Where's the list of names?"

"What do you mean?" Watson asks sounding genuinely confused.

Luschek frantically says, "I told you for every chit that comes in there has to be a name written down!"

"You did not tell me that." Watson defends. "You told me to take the chit, give the tool, get the tool back, give back the chit. I fucking did that."

Luschek turns and faces us, "Who the hell has it!" He yells.

"I don't know!" Watson replies.

Luschek slams the Red Emergency button with his hand and the alarm flares, "God! FUCK" He screams.

Tricia puts her hands on my back and pushes me down to the floor, "You better get down there unless you want to risk getting tased, baby doll."

* * *

Since the screwdriver was still missing, this warranted a visit from Caputo himself to come try to threaten us into giving it to him. Like anyone would take that damn screwdriver, contrary to what the CO's think we're not all fucking idiots, nobody with half a brain would take that screwdriver.

"A screwdriver is considered a deadly weapon." Caputo drones, "That is another 5 years if you are caught with it in your possession."

"I don't like being threatened for something I didn't do!" Watson said indignantly.

"No. I'm not threatening you." Caputo said, "I'm informing you of the facts.

Watson shrugs, "Sounds like a threat to me. I already told you I don't have it."

Luschek points at her, "I put her in charge of the tools, it's her fault." What a pansy ass idiot. Can't even own up to his own mistakes.

"Yo!" Watson yells, "Don't be tryin' to pass the buck on me. It's your fuckin' job. I'm just a monkey in a cage remember?"

"Oh no I think she means that her-" Piper interrupts with her two cents.

Watson shakes her head at Piper, "No I don't need you translating for me Honey Boo Boo."

"Be quiet!" Caputo yells at Watson. "If you had done your job correctly, we would know who is responsible for this theft." He turns to the CO's, "I want all these women searched.

"I don't know about these other bitches, but no man guard is pattin' me down and coppin' a feel." Watson argued.

Caputo nodded, "Of course, as is your right. Donaldson take her down to SHU and let her wait there until we can find a female officer to conduct a thorough search." The CO's disperse and start inspecting us.

The CO Donaldson grabbed her and pulled her towards the door, "Don't touch me! I can walk my self out!" She screamed as she tried to break free of his grasp. Watson pointed at Luschek, "Yo motherfucker is a drunk! Yo, smell his breath! Motherfucker is a drunk!" Watson yelled just before CO Donaldson slammed the door shut.

Pornstache was in the front. I see him patting down Flaca and then move on to Piper. I was standing next to her so I knew I'd be next. I look over and see him groping his hands all over Piper's breasts. In front of Caputo! Surely there had to be some kind of rule against this.

"Done." Pornstache murmurs before he moves on to me. I gulp and hold out my arms. I feel disgusted and ashamed as he runs his hands over my arms, down the backs of my legs. I clench my fists tight when he starts running his hand over the front of my legs, slowing down as he approaches my pelvis. I look up and see Caputo had turned around to talk to Luschek. Fuck. Mendez uses this chance. His hands are in a V-Shape on my upper thigh and trickle inward as he grazes my private parts.

Out of the corner of my eye I see Piper's eyes are popping out of her head and she opens her mouth to say something. I shake my head. Mendez couldn't do anything in public. And I didn't want to risk Piper being sent to SHU. When Caputo turns back around Mendez abruptly moves his hands and traces up my stomach. Before he finally removes his hands from me and moves on to Nicky. I notice my inspection took about twice as long as anybody else's. As he finishes Nicky I see him grab her ass. "Yep they're good." He replies. Sick fuck. Probably the only way a girl would let him touch her was during a mandatory inspection.

"If you know who took this weapon and do not speak up, you will be considered an accomplice and charged accordingly." Caputo leaned forward onto the table, "If your memory is jogged, you all know where my office is." Caputo turned to walk out, "Everyone return to camp, report back here tomorrow."

Piper turned around, "Jesus Christ that was scary. Did he touch you tit?"

Nicky shook her head as we walked out, "Cupped my ass." Nicky turned to me, "You okay little Vause? Saw Pornstache's wandering hands on you."

I shook my head," Oh, uh yeah. I'm fine. It's whatever." Nicky gave me a questioning look but let it go.

"Who do you think took it?" Nicky asked as we walked outside back to camp. "Ally you think it was your angry friend Janae?"

I rolled my eyes, "Well I wouldn't say she's my friend. Just my bitchy bunkmate. I say 'Hi' she says 'Shut the fuck up'. I say 'Hey, how's it going' she sucks her teeth, maybe calls me a 'bitch' or a 'Taylor-Swift-ass-motherfucker'" I nod, "So we're on our way."

Nicky laughs, "That's just fucking racist. You look nothing like Taylor Swift."

Piper leans forward and quietly asks, "Is SHU really that bad?"

Nicky breaths in deeply, "It's just like the Hamptons. Only fucking horrible."

"Okay yeah that was a dumb question." Piper realizes.

Nicky looks at her sympathetically, "A lady next door to me bit a rat, a live rat, 'cause it bit her. So, she bit it back, and back, and back." That mental image made me sick to my stomach. Thank god Tricia came up and interrupted.

"Hey." She says, "Hey brain I wanna ask you something." Tricial pulls out a folded piece of paper to Piper.

"What is this?" Piper asks as she glances over it.

"A letter to request an appeal. I need to get out 'cause my girlfriend's getting out and I gotta be with her." Tricia admitted.

Nicky laughed, "Frankly I can't wait for that screamer to hit the bricks." I stifle a chuckle as Tricia glares at Nicky.

"Look I'm not so good with words ya know." Tricia shrugs, "And you read everything and shit, so you'll help me out?" Nicky shakes her head at Piper.

Piper nods and pockets the paper and Nicky rolls her eyes, "Sure yeah, I'll take a look at it." I notice Piper's face as she puts her hand in her pocket and grips something. Her face is white as a sheet.

"What?" I ask.

"Happy hour." I hear a familiar voice. I look around Piper to see Alex approaching us, "Who'se up for Margarita's?"

"Last time I drank tequila I woke up in Weehawken." Tricia said as she shook her head.

"Isn't that where you're from?" Nicky asked her.

Tricia nodded, "Fucking shit hole."

Alex stared at Piper, "Yeah, well Piper loves Tequila." She said softly.

"I have to go." Piper said abruptly before taking off running back to camp.

"What? Afraid I'll tell them the pork chop story?" Alex called out after.

Nicky laughs incredulously, "Okay this is fucking weird. I have a pork chop story too. You go first."

Tricia shakes her head. "Aight. I gotta go." Tricia turns to me, "Hey, baby doll, you're coming to the party later right?" She asks softly.

To be honest I didn't even know I was invited, "Oh uh. Sure I'll try to make it."

Tricia gives me a crooked smile before walking back to camp. Nicky lets out a low whistle, "Wow look at little Vause already building a repertoire of admirer's."

I look at Nicky confused, "What?"

"You swing that way little Vause?" Nicky says as she archs an eyebrow at me.

"No. I mean, no." I answer nervously. Thankfully Alex comes to my rescue and throws her arm around me.

"Nicky quit flirting with my little sister. She's off limits." Alex says jokingly, knowing very well that Nicky wasn't really hitting on me.

Nicky's jaw drops, "Alex I'm just trying to share my gift here."

"Yeah your gift of Chlamydia?" Alex retorts.

Nicky wags a finger at her. "Hey, that was never proven."

As we head back to camp Alex turns to me. "Hey Pepper what are you doing tonight?"

I ponder thoughtfully and speak with my voice raised real high and proper, "Well on this beautiful saturday night. I thought Jimmy and I would just take the private jet down to Brussels for a quick bite."

Nicky laughs and Alex nods at me with her mouth open a little, "Alright smart ass. I was just wondering if you wanted to go to the library."

I smile, "Sure. You know my intense love of reading." Alex rolls her eyes and punches me lightly in the arm as we start walking towards the library.

"Hey so I gotta ask" Nicky says, "What is with the ludicrous nickname?"

Alex and I stare at her blankly until it clicks in, "Oh Pepper?!" I say. Nicky nods and Alex and I look at each other and burst out laughing.

Nicky stares at us, "You know it's not nice to not include people."

Alex calms down a little and launches into the story. "Well when Ally was little, like really little, maybe 4 or 5 we had a Pepper Shaker. And Ally would put it on everything. Literally everything. Chocolate, chicken nuggets, cereal, you name it." Nicky gave me a disgusted look and I smiled.

"What can I say I love my seasonings," I defended.

"Anyway" Alex continued, "So I started calling her Pepper and the nickname kind of stuck and then when I was pretty hammered once with a couple of friends, we went to a tattoo parlor and I wanted something to remind me of Ally." Alex looked over at me thoughtfully. "My friend Rachel suggested a pepper shaker since that's what I always called her."

Nicky stared at her blankly, "No this is bullshit. You're telling me that you have a tattoo of a Pepper Shaker, somewhere on your body. That you willingly got?"

"It's on her left shoulder." I piped in.

Nicky stared at Alex, "There was a lot of alcohol involved before the decision was made." Alex said.

"Well god I should hope so." Nicky replied before bursting into laughter.

* * *

I had been looking around in the library for maybe an hour. Alex was reading a book and when she was busy reading she got into the zone. So I knew better than to bother her. I picked out this book called Speak and went to go sit with Alex when I heard her talking to Nicky. I stayed behind one of the shelves so they couldn't see me.

"Yo, should we plan an escape?" Nicky laughed, "Where do you wanna go?"

Alex shook her head, "I don't even know anymore. I used to. I had grand plans. Now I can't even get past the swirling darkness in my brain to" Alex's voice cracked and I could hear her start to cry "land on anything." She finished.

Nicky looked at her sympathetically, "Oh man. I was just starting to like you Vause. You gonna go soft on me?" Alex sniffled and shook her head no. "Oh fuck. Come here." Nicky pulled Alex into her shoulder where she cried.

Honestly in my whole life I had seen Alex cry maybe 3 times. Including this one. So I knew she had to be in a lot of pain. And it felt so fucking shitty knowing that I couldn't make it better.

"It'll be okay sister." Nicky said as she looked around. "Speaking of which where is Little Vause. She'll make you feel better." I smiled down at my book.

Alex abruptly sat up and wiped her eyes, "No don't call her over. I don't want her to see me like this."

Nicky looked at her confused, "She's your sister. She's not going to think any less of you."

Alex shook her head. "No it's just-" She started. Nicky waited patiently. "I've taken care of her, her whole life. And I know she chose to be in here because she wanted to be with me and wanted me to take care of her. The judge gave her the option, longer time in juvie or less time in here." Nicky nodded as Alex shook her head again. "Just how the hell am I supposed to take care of her in here when I can't even take care of myself. I just- I wish she'd stayed in juvie."

I turned around and clutched my sides trying to breathe deeply. I couldn't believe the words that had just come out of my sister's mouth. Had she felt like this the whole time? Did she resent taking me in after Mom died? And maybe she was right, maybe I did come here so she'd take care of me, but Alex has been the only constant in my life and I didn't know what I would do without her for almost 2 years if I was in juvie. I shook my head determinedly. You know what I could take care of my fucking self. I'm not a little kid. I don't need Alex to watch out for me anymore. And I certainly didn't need to give her another reason to treat me like I was beneath her.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

_Hey guys, sorry I've been updating a ton, I'm just so excited writing this. And to answer someone's question no its not a per chapter per episode basis it just happened to work out like that for the first couple of chapters. So enjoy and please Review :)_

* * *

I woke up this morning actually feeling refreshed. Since Watson had been sentenced to 2 Weeks in SHU I wasn't worried about her stabbing me to death at night, and it was nice not having a roommate. I had the whole bunk to myself. I checked my watch; I had an hour until breakfast started. So I decided to get up and utilize this time to shower. It was really unfortunate because the prison was just about freezing 99% of the time so usually I showered at around 5 pm so I wouldn't get sick while my hair was wet and drying. But that was Alex's time to shower and I had carefully been avoiding her. It was actually working out quite well. I missed meal times and ate snacks from commissary and during free time I hid out in the library until right before bedtime so Alex wouldn't see me slip into my bunk. It was going great.

After I had showered I was wandering around the prison when I saw Piper sitting outside under a tree. Hmm. Seemed like someone else was avoiding meal times too. I walked outside.

"Hey Pipes." I said as I walked up.

She looked up at me and smiled as I sat down, "Hey, what's up."

I pick at some grass and avoid eye contact. "Nothing really."

"Oh." Piper says. "I didn't see you at dinner yesterday, and you're not at breakfast this morning." She pressed.

"You're not at breakfast either." I pointed out.

"Well I wanted some peace and quiet." Piper says as she eyes me.

I shrug "Well I did to. I like fresh air."

Piper purses her lips at me, "You know, Ally you are still the same shit liar you are that you were when you were ten years old."

We both chuckle, "Well Alex is like a human lie detector, I can never get anything past her, it's a skill I could never acquire."

Piper nods, "Yeah I haven't seen you around with Alex much the past couple days." She narrows her eyes at me, "Actually I haven't even seen you two in the same room together."

"Well... I need my space." I lie.

Piper grimaces at me, "Come on. What's really bothering you?"

I shake my head, "It's-" I sigh. "Alex. We were in the library and I- I heard her taking to Nicky. I wasn't trying to eavesdrop I really wasn't. I just-" I nervously look down at my hands.

**"**What did she say?" Piper asks.

I clench my jaw, "She said she didn't want me here. That she wished I had gone to juvie."

Piper's jaw dropped and she quickly closed it. "Oh Ally. I'm sure she didn't mean it like that. She loves you more than anything else in the world.

I shrug and try to act nonchalant, "That's what I thought." I hear a clucking and look over as Piper opens her mouth to say something. "Is that a fucking chicken?" I cut her off.

Piper looks over, "Oh my god, it is." Piper leans towards it, "It's so cute." She comments.

"I want to pet it." I say. It had been so long since I'd touched or even seen a real animal in person.

Piper stares at me like I'm an idiot "Ally you can't-" I use this moment and lunge. The chicken was only a few feet away and not expecting it. She struggles at first but I wrap both my arms tightly around her. Piper's jaw drops, "Holy shit. You just caught a fucking chicken."

I carefully let go with one hand and ruffle her feathers. "She's so cute." I look over at Piper who still looks awestruck, "Do you want to pet her?"

Piper shakes her head, "No I'm good. I still can't believe you just caught a fucking chicken though."

I stroked the chicken's head, "I think I'm going to name it. Henrietta."

Piper laughed, "Henrietta really? How do you know it's a girl anyways?"

"Well Piper have you ever seen a _male_ chicken?" I mocked.

Piper rolled her eyes, "I'm an idiot."

I shrug, "Only sometimes. Anyways I have to go." Breakfast was about to be over and i was going to the Library. I let go of the chicken and stand up. Henrietta grazes my knee before strutting away. "See ya Pipes."

* * *

"Hey guys," Piper walked into one of the common rooms and sat down at a table with Lorna, Gina, and Norma. She notices Alex sitting at the table in front of her, purposefully ignoring her. "Whatcha making?" She asks.

"I'm knitting." Gina replies curtly before abruptly standing up and moving to Alex's table.

"I'm sorry do I smell?" Piper asked.

Lorna shook her head, "No, she's just in the zone. How's your Sunday going?"

"Oh pretty good. It's beautiful up her in the fall." Piper comments, "I think I need to be outside more."

"Weren't you cold?" Lorna asks.

Piper shrugged, "A little. But it was lovely. I had my tea, it was almost hot. I had my book, it was almost good." Piper nodded thoughtfully, "Oh and I saw a chicken. How random is that?"

Everyone stiffened at Piper's comment. "What?" Lorna asked incredulously, "You saw a chicken? Like a real live chicken in the flesh?"

Piper nodded, "Well, it was covered in feathers but yeah me and Ally saw it." Gina and Norma jumped up and fled the room.

Alex turned around, "Wait you were with Ally?" Alex hadn't seen her for a couple days.

Piper nodded, surprised by Alex's talking to her and looked back at Lorna, "What's going on?"

"You need to talk to red." Lorna stated.

"About what."

Lorna shooed her from the room, "Just go talk to her."

* * *

I turned the corner and was about to walk upstairs when somebody tugged on my arm and started pulling me. "Oh no you don't," Lorna said as she dragged me towards the kitchen. I noticed she was also pulling Piper.

"What the hell is going on?" I asked.

Piper shrugged, "Some kind of chicken obsession."

Lorna stopped us in front of Red and explained the chicken encounter, which apparently was like seeing a real UFO around here the way they were going on about it.

"You're sure it was a chicken? Not a pigeon?" Red pressed.

Piper shook her head, "No."

Gina asked, "What about a quail or a pheasant?"

"American bald eagle?" Lorna offered.

"It was a chicken." Piper repeated.

"I don't- What's the big deal?" I ask.

"There are no chicken's around here." Gina says as inches closer towards us. "Except for one."

"They say she lived on a farm near hear." Lorna helped.

"Till one night, the night before all the other chickens were slaughtered, she escaped. She's been out there ever since livin' off the land, livin' on her wits." Gina finished.

Piper cocked her head, "Okay so if this is some kind of Houdini Chicken how did Ally catch it?"

Red gasped, "What! How?"

I shook my head, "She came right up to us I just picked her up. I named her Henrietta."

Red's jaw dropped, "What happened to her?"

I shrugged, "I let her go."

"Oh!" Red clutched a hand over her heart and moaned likes she had just been kicked by a horse, "How could you do such a thing?"

I looked over at Piper and share a 'what the fuck' look, "Sorry nobody told me if I happen to see a chicken wandering around that I was supposed to bring it to the kitchen." I told them.

"Hey what's going on?" Nicky asked as she walks into the room.

"The chicken's back" Gina told her.

Nicky rolled her eyes, "Oh give me a break. Mom? There is no chicken." Nicky told red.

"You're wrong!" Red nearly shouted, "They saw it!" Red pointed to us, "Ally caught it."

"Oh yeah?" Nicky asked me, "Where is it?"

I shook my head indignantly, "I let it go. I didn't know there was some kind of witch hunt going on for Henrietta."

Nicky laughed, "You named it?" She turned to Red, "How did it get over the fence?"

"I don't know it flew?" Piper offered.

"Chickens don't fly." Nicky told us.

"No, it was her!" Red said. "I saw it in a dream."

Nicky held up her hands and ducked out, "Goodbye."

Red continued on, "She came to me, already dressed in herbs, and a little top hat, black, tilted to one side, she said, 'Soon Red, we will be together. Soon I will be yours.'" Red licked her lips, "No more processed chicken that look's like a hockey puck and tastes like wet paper, real chicken Kiev."

Red started towards me, "What was it like? When you held her? What did it feel like?"

I stared at all the faces around the room, so wrapped up in this ridiculous notion. "It felt like I was holding a chicken." I said bluntly.

"First girl to bag that bird gets a box of Biore strips!" Red yelled. She approached me and placed both her hands on my cheeks. "Ally. Ally, Ally." She repeated softly, "You have a connection with the chicken. You need to go find her."

"I have perfect skin. And I don't really want to catch the chicken again." I said.

Red squeezed my cheeks, "Do you want to eat again? Go find Henrietta!"

I looked over at Piper who shrugged and left with Lorna. As I turned to follow Red patted my rump, "Hurry!" she yelled. I started running after Lorna and Piper confident that this chicken obsession was some kind of ploy.

* * *

Piper and I were searching the yard for Henrietta when she got called in for Visitation. So now it was just me. Although I wasn't really searching, just kind of wandering around the yard when Cerberus came over.

"Vause. You got visitation," she said dully.

I pointed to myself "Me, Vause?"

Cerberus gave me an irritated look, "You're the only Vause out here."

I shrugged and ran inside, curious as too who my visitor was. After my squat and cough I walked into the visitation room. "Nina Abbott?" The guard announced. My heart dropped as I realized Nina had come to visit me. I just about near cried. "It's Nine-uh, Not Nee-na." I hear her correct him as she stands up at one of the tables. Nina never put up with anyone's shit. She was tough as bricks but had a heart of Gold. She was from England and grew up near Liverpool. She was honestly one of my favorite people. She'd practically raised me since I was 13. I can see she's aged since I've left. The lines on her face are more prominent and her white-blonde hair is thinning and whispy.

"Nina!" I say as she pulls me into a tight embrace.

"Oh Darling." She says as she strokes my hair. "I'm sorry I didn't get around to seeing you sooner."

Nina let's go of me and we both sit down at the table where she clasps my hands gently. "Nina I didn't know you were coming." I hadn't seen her since the trial hearing before my sentencing.

"Well it took me awhile to find you. They were reluctant to tell me which prison you were at. But finally I found out where Alex and you are." She admitted.

"What are you doing here?" I asked her.

She gave me one of her death looks that used to frighten the hell out of me as a kid, "I came to see you, of course."

I shook my head, "I know, I just- I thought you were mad at me."

"No I've just been knackered lately. I moved in with Michael and Jane." I nodded, it didn't surprise me, Michael was her son and Jane was his wife, they got married about two years ago. "You made a mistake. And you've learned from it."

"Did Jane have the baby?" I asked changing the subject.

Nina beamed, "Yes." She dug into her purse and pulled out a picture and slid it across the table, it was a picture of the four of them. "They named her Mathilda, Mattie for short."

I carefully looked at the picture, she was a beautiful baby who was smiling in the picture, being held by Michael. I'd always loved Michael, he was like a brother to me. Alex and I were very close to Nina's family. We always had holidays with them and birthdays and what not. It was usually just Nina, me, Michael and Alex before he married Jane. It was funny I always used to hope that Alex would turn straight and marry Michael, but it never really worked out like that, even though he did have a crush on her for a long time. Although our holidays were small they were always a blast. Nina's husband died back in the '80s from Cancer and she'd had another son, James, her eldest, who died about 6 years ago in the war. I never met him, but I asked Nina about him once, she'd responded saying, "A mother's heart never truly stops grieving over the loss of their child." And she sent me off to bed. I swallowed hard and gazed at the picture once more, "She's beautiful Nina." I handed the picture back to her.

She smiled proudly, "Yes I know. It's good she came now. Now that you're gone I have a new baby to take care of. I was gutted after you left, Ally." I looked down at my hands, feeling guilty. Nina slid the picture back towards me, "It's for you to keep. Michael said you are like a sister to him and he wanted you to have a photo of your god-daughter."

I coughed to try to hide a smile. Michael was the best. "That brings me to my next point." Nina started, "Once you're out of here you'll come live with us. Michael already talked it over with Jane, and you'll be enrolling in college, so I want you to sign up for your GED classes now and finish before you are out."

I smiled genuinely, "Nina thank you so much. I don't know what I would do with out you."

"Bupkis." Nina said as she shook her head, she was never one for emotional displays, "You would be fine either way. But we don't turn out family. Hmm." She wagged a finger at me and I nodded. "Now enough about this tell me about how you're doing here. Where's Alex?"

I rolled my eyes, "I don't know. I haven't seen her for a couple days. If she'd known you were coming she would have been here."

Nina narrowed her eyes at me, "What happened?" I opened my mouth to object and she cut me off, "I see that morose look you have in your eyes."

I shake my head, "Alex and I just are cooling off from each other. It's fine."

She raised an eyebrow at me but let it go, "Make sure it get's resolved. She is the only sister you have. And the only person who will watch your back in here?" Internally I sigh. Maybe Alex would've watched my back if she wanted me here in the first place. But I don't plan on telling Nina any of this. I don't want to ruin our visit.

"Inmates! 5 Minutes." The CO warns.

Nina stands up, "I have to go." She hands me a piece of paper as we stand up. "It's the phone number at Michael's home. I want you to call me there, once a week. Take care of yourself Alyssa."

We both stand up and Nina hugs me once again as I inhale her familiar scent of peppermint and vanilla. Nina kisses my cheek, "I love you my sweet girl."

"I love you too."

As I look over to the table behind us, I see a woman staring at me. I see the inmate she's visiting is Piper. She's also with some dork in a sweater vest with a Jew-Fro. She looks so familiar but I can't quit place her.

She narrows her eyes, "Ally?" As soon as I hear her voice I remember. Polly Harper. Piper turns around and see's me standing there. I see her hand creep over her eyes and hear her mutter 'Shit' under her breath. I freeze not sure what to do. "That's Ally isn't it?" Polly asks Piper.

"Who's Ally?" Jew-Fro asks.

"It's uh- Alex's sister." Polly answers confused.

The man smiles, "Oh great, a family of convicts." I can't help but think what an idiot.

Nina turns around and see's Piper and her two guest's staring at me, "Do you know these people Ally?" She asks.

"The inmate is Piper." I answer quietly. Nina purses her lips, she had heard a lot about the Infamous Piper Chapman from Alex, well and me. But most of my memories were good and didn't end with me calling her a "whoring, bitch."

"What are you doing here?" Polly asks.

I shrug, "Oh I'm just here for the gourmet food."

Nina hits the back of my head for my smartass-ness, as Polly gives a forced laugh and an irritated look, "Wow she's like a mini Alex." She mumbles under her breath.

I nod, thoroughly uncomfortable by this whole situation. "Right well Polly it was great to see you. I should go." I turn back to Nina and she nods.

"Gives Alex my love." Nina says just before she walks out.

"Hold up… wait she's in here with you?" The dork asks.

I see Piper bite her lower lip, "Oh. Yes." Piper answers. I cringe for her and I want to go over and help her out but I think it would just make it worse. So instead I leave. And as I do I see Alex standing behind the visitation window.

"Was that Nina?" She asks.

"Yeah." I reply shortly.

"Well Ally! Why didn't you tell me she was coming I would've come said hi?" Alex asked me incredulously.

I shrug, "Well I didn't know were you were." I say as I walk past her.

"Hey. Is something wrong, Ally?" Alex asks confused.

I turn back around, "No Alex everything is fine." I say over my shoulder.

"Ally? ALLY." Alex yells as I keep walking.

* * *

When I walk back to my cellblock I see that my bunk is totally empty. "What the fuck?" I say loudly, "Where's all my shit?" I look around and everybody shrugs or ignores me and goes back to their own thing.

"Hey baby doll." I turn around to see Tricia standing in a different bunk. "You're stuffs over here. CO's moved your stuff about an hour ago.

"Why?"

Tricia shrugs, "They'd rather have one empty bunk then two half full bunks."

"Wait you're my new Bunkie?" I ask.

"Yeah" Tricia smirks at me, "Welcome to the darkside."


End file.
